I wanted to post something I was thinking about recently, often times there have been those related to me who have murmured or complained about what I could or could not do, or what I should or should or should not do. Sometimes it has even been me complaining and murmuring about situations that I can't fix.
So I was reading a little from the Bible the other day, and this verse stuck out to me, and I wanted to first quote the verse and then write here the note I had made. Perhaps it will be helpful to someone else as it was to me...
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1 Corinthians 10:10
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer.
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Now my thoughts on this verse as I was reading this the other day...
When someone complains and or fusses about where God has placed them in this life, it is the same as giving place to the devil. And is basically questioning the authority of God in your life. What I mean is God opens and closes doors for His children, and just because we don't like something does not mean that God has forgotten about us.
I believe God allows circumstances into our lives in order to draw us closer to him. But when we murmur or complain about the things God has allowed into our lives we are breaking fellowship with God. And not trusting God to work everything out for good in His time.
It is easy to serve God when things are going right and everyone is seemingly our friend. It is much harder when you must put action to the words you say.
For instance many say that they believe and trust God to meet their needs, but saying you believe and really believing is two very different things.
God does want our complete and total trust and obedience to Him, but He also wants us to be able to show the world our faith.
The way we show our faith is to not complain when God places us in a position where no one can help us but Him. It can be very difficult to trust God when every single thing in our lives is just plain hard, and it is easy to murmur and complain, because of all we can see that is wrong.
But when we take the easy way out murmuring, complaining and fussing about our circumstances. We are in affect saying we don't trully believe and trust God.
Now I don't believe God wants us to sit around doing nothing at all to straighten out circumstances we can control, but I do believe that God wants us to trust Him to work everything out for good, even when we can't see anything good about our circumstances.
And God does not want us to murmur and complain as those who are lost do, because they have no hope. Those who are saved, should shine brightly for Him at all times, even when times are not so great.
This verse was very encouraging to me because it basically says, not to worry or complain because God can take care of all our problems. Just because we can't see something does not mean God can't.
A couple more verse's that are helpful to me a lot, is:
Philippians 4:7-8
And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
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Ok, now my thoughts on this, remember the first verse I mentioned about how some were destroyed because that they murmured and complained?
Well in effect this verse goes with it because it is the opposite, it is saying not to worry about what we can't fix, and to not dwell on the ugly things and hard things that come into our lives, but instead to trust God, not to worry about anything, but to trust God, and He'll keep our hearts and minds, in other words the things we can't handle He will, all we have to do is trust Him.
He is also telling us to meditate on things that are good, things that are decent, on things with virtue. There is no virtur on meditating on situations and problems we can't fix. It causes stress which will lead to many health problems, and will cause more problems as we will then need to aquire medical care for our stress induced medical problems. Which leads to large bills, which leads to more stress, and so on, a never ending circle that continues to get worse over time,. And accomplishes absolutely nothing.
God placed flowers and colour in this world to give us beauty to see and meditate on, if we can find nothing else. God could of made everything plain, uninteresting and dull. But instead he gave us beauty in plants and rocks, and mountains, and stars, and rainbows, and even in clouds. Even a drop of water shines like a diamond when the sun reflects on it. Think of the early morning dew when the sun first comes up...
Many things in this life we can't control, and many times hard things come into our lives, but nothing comes into the lives of one of God's children lest it has already been filtered through His loving hands.
The hard things are not meant to hurt us, it is meant for our benifit, it is meant also for the benifit of those who do not know Him.
When life is hard just remember no one see's Christ in you so much as when you must walk by faith, holding tightly to the Master's Hand...
